The Real History Makers
by Nobodysmama
Summary: Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara did not form the first hidden village. But after years of chaos, Uzumaki Naruto paved the way. And he had help.
1. Chapter 1: The Nara Family

Story Title: The Real History Makers  
>Fandom: Naruto<br>Rating: General Audiences  
>Warning: None<br>Characters: Naruto, Yoshino Nara, Shikaku Nara, Shikamaru Nara, mentions of others  
>Summary: Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara did not form the first hidden village. But after years of<br>chaos, Uzumaki Naruto paved the way. And he had help.

The characters and and story are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not making a dime o  
>of them, cuz if I did . . .<p>

When it's time to write down the events that led to the creation of a governmental system that lasted for more than a half-century, most historians will point to the battles and the men who won them. After all, the last attempt to bring peace ended in utter disaster.

No one denied that the Senju and Uchiha clans were the strongest. As the old adage goes only the strong survive. Some even said that on the day the greatest warriors had died, so did any chance and it was written in the history books as such. But this time around, the real reason shinobi villages were formed was because of women. Well, to be more specific: two mothers' love for their children; a pregnant wife; one female doctor's frustration at the destruction; one young girl's crush; and another girl's desire to become her husband's only love and the rival who helped her.

For all her fierceness and tough love, Nara Yoshino cared. Whenever Shikaku and Shikamaru were on a mission, she waited and prayed to the gods for her family's safe return. She nagged, yelled and threatened because her men were lazy and laziness could bring an early death. She did that because her mother taught her this way. It had been passed down through many generations. But Yoshino had a secret weapon. And she only used it when absolutely necessary.

One thing Nara Shikaku realized was each new generation was stronger and smarter. He sat in awe of his son's strategy skills. He watched proudly as Shikamaru produced plan after plan that kept the Nara clan strong, plentiful and well-fed. For the past five years, the Nara, the Akimichi, and the Yamanaka had become a force to be reckoned with. The only drawback, which caused Shikaku stress and dismay (but only because his wife would yell and make threatening demands) was the boy's laziness. Shikamaru may have strategized well enough to keep mortality rates low and missions plentiful, but he was equally impressive at avoiding making said strategies. When new missions came, the Akimichi, who were the negotiators, would have to request missions that could start in two or three or four days from the day of request, because a serious manhunt had to be conducted to find the young strategist. The best at locating the boy were his parents, of course; his best friend, Akimichi Chouji, and the heirs of nearby clans, Inuzuka Kiba and his dog Akamaru as well as Aburame Shino and his bugs. The Yamanaka heir could also find him but she had been married off and could no longer help. Shikaku, all exasperation aside, knew that his child would be a part of the group that would achieve peace and he couldn't wait.

"If you just follow the biggest clouds, you'll find him," Chouji once remarked.

The Nara clan had always had what amounted to a non-aggression pact with the Senju clan. After the grandson of warrior great Senju Hashirama had gotten lost in the Nara forest and found by a Nara predecessor, Shikakau always kept the lines of communication open between the two clans. There was no fawning or gushing over the great clan; just a strong admiration and a stronger sense of self-preservation. But in front of him was the clan leader, Senju Tsunade, a woman whose talent on the battlefield and off-for she could pound you to near death and heal you within minutes-was legendary. Standing next to her, leering at his wife, was her companion, a man known for his fighting prowess and his lechery, Jiraiya, the Toad Sage. Beside him was a young woman, gentle and could probably kill him several different ways, Kato Shizune, apprentice of Tsunade. Her constant hitting of Jiraiya in an attempt to get him to stop gawking at his wife, certainly earned her brownie points.

Despite the power and might that stood before him, Chouza, and Inoichi, all focus was on a boy. The apprentice and the two legendary warriors looked fatigued, whether it was from recent battles or just life, Shikaku couldn't tell. But the boy was full of youth, hope and sunshine. The blond hair and blue eyes, reminded him of another clan and their greatest warrior. Despite animosity from clans in the land of Iwa, Namikaze Minato, was considered a hero. Some could have done what he did, but they had not come across the great beast. And when the most feared of the tailed beasts, the nine-tailed fox, arose from unknown depths of hell, many fought to kill the creature. But only Minato was able to stop him.

His legacy stood before Shikaku and asked him to form an even bigger alliance. There were several things that caused Shikaku to request antacids from his wife. First, though all signs point to the teen standing before him being a Namikaze, his name was Uzumaki Naruto. Now why Minato would name his child after a fishcake, well, no one would know, but why Tsunade or Jiraiya would give the child the clan name of Uzumaki was a mystery he would demand solved. Unless, of course, Minato had bedded an Uzumaki and that raised more questions. For one, who? And why? They were enemies. The Uzumaki clan was from Whirlpool country and was feared by most. They were unpredictable because their methods were deadly and funny; no doubt a terrible combination. While many felt utter dismay at the antics of the Uzumaki clan, only the Namikaze clan was worthy of hate by the Uzumaki. The Uzumaki were known to toy with other clans, even the Senju and Uchiha. But all Namikaze and Uzumaki battles were epic. It must have been written on their souls that if one saw the other, they must battle to death. Perhaps if this Naruto achieved his goal, he would ask, but for now Shikaku would talk with Chouza and Inoichi about this request.

When the jinchurikki of Kyuubi No Youko and two of the Legendary Sannin stood before you requesting an alliance, you don't scoff and laugh. You listen. And contemplate. Yoshino knew her husband. And this situation called desperately for her secret weapon. She called upon Chouza's and Inoichi's wives, and starting with the words, "I'm tired," set forth a plan.

Shikaku was beside himself. He, too, longed for peace, but this kid, the container of the Kyuubi, spouting love, peace and happiness, looked like an idiot. And until he had other clans besides the Senju in his corner, the answer was no. Or so he thought. On that fateful day, his wife had yelled and threatened until she popped a vein, but when he went into their tent that night, his angel of mercy was there and he had no clue what was in store. Well, he did but he didn't know why. Before him sat all of his favorite foods, and not one, not two, but three bottles of sake. But it was his angel of mercy that really caught his eye. She was a lovely vision in white. Where she got the outfit, he not only didn't know, he also didn't care because it wouldn't stay on for long! The only thing, well, two things that registered was his angel of mercy was there to do his bidding; the last time she showed up, nine months later, Shikamaru was born. The second thing? Use your imagination because Shikaku was going to use his and have a good time. It's a good thing that Jiraiya was gone from the campsite. Or so they thought.

When morning came, Yoshino asked for peace and Shikaku complied. Of course, when he went to tell Shikamaru, and then the others, he saw his son had packed for a long journey. When asked why, "I believe he can do it, but the idiot will need some help," was the reply.

Shikaku and Shikamaru along with Chouza, Chouji and Inoichi walked to Naruto's camp, and saw the Aburame and Inuzuka clan heads there, along with their sons. All was met with silence. Tsunade, with the biggest smile she could muster; Inuzuka Tsume, full of confidence that she had made the right decision; Shizune, with a scowl, but only because Jiraiya had the biggest grin on his face as he watched Shikaku, Chouza and Inoichi; who joined him grinning, though they didn't know why. That is until Shikaku realized why Jiraiya was grinning, then he glared at the man. Shibi and Shino each arched an eyebrow, out of curiosity, while the other heirs wondered where Naruto was.

A tent flap opened and out walked perhaps the biggest shock yet. There stood a man in green spandex with a bowl cut hairstyle and bushy eyebrows. Out next was his identical twin? No, this one was younger. A Clone? No, it spoke.

"GAI-SENSEI, LET'S JOIN NARUTO IN TRAINING. IF I CAN'T BEAT HIM IN A SPAR, I WILL WALK BLIND-FOLDED AND ON MY HANDS UNTIL WE REACH THE NEXT CLAN!" Rock Lee said loudly.

"GREAT IDEA, LEE! THE FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN BRIGHTLY IN YOU THIS MORNING!" Maito Gai also yelled.

In what really could either be an elaborate genjutsu or something written by Stephanie Meyer, the sun was setting and waves were crashing against the shore as the two super unique ninja hugged amidst cries of "GAI-SENSEI!" and "LEE!" It was 8 a.m. Those who had seen it before face-palmed, mostly to keep from re-living the nightmare, but those who had not, had the strangest emotion on their faces.

**AN:**

The Naruto community of writers, commenters, etc. etc., have been a godsend to me since 2008. A couple  
>of years ago, I saw this under what if or general meme over at naruto meme on LJ. I wrote it during the<br>month it was requested. Actually took me 12-13 hours. But instead of posting it there or in my journal or here, I promptly forgot about it. Then it kept bugging me and three (yeah, three) years later, here  
>it is. I'm calling this a work-in-progress but it's done.<p>

But this is a Thank You to the community because of all the great stories I've read so far. Even  
>the bad ones. It is my one and only foray into fanfiction because original stories are calling me like crazy.<br>So, without further ado, here it is broken down into chapters, but it probably shouldn't be.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hyuuga

But what followed simply floored the Aburame, the Akimichi, the Inuzuka, the Nara, and the Yamanaka. Next to step out the tent was Neji Hyuuga, a young prodigy who had begun to make a name for himself, followed by an unknown girl. At the same time, in the tent to the right, stepped out the head of the Hyuuga clan, Hiashi, with his youngest daughter. One thought crossed the clansmen's minds, "Who was Uzumaki Naruto, and how is he doing it?" Well, in Hiashi's defense, it wasn't his idea. He, too, was going to say no, but his eldest daughter and heir, Hinata, had chosen that moment to show traditions were meant to be broken and peace could be achieved.

Hinata was very gentle, like her late mother. She wanted peace, too. She had seen lives destroyed in her clan and prayed for stability. But for the Hyuuga, they did not see it as strength. They were not only bound to following rules set out by generations past, but blind to the fact that change was inevitable. The cursed seal, created by past generations in the hopes of keeping the Byakugan, the Hyuuga's dojutsu, from falling into the wrong hands, had, in turn, made the clan weak. If it wasn't for the Byakugan, the clan would have died out long time ago.

Despite her perceived weakness, Hinata was not blind. She saw the internal fury of the Hyuuga prodigy, and she saw her younger sister's overwhelming burden to surpass her cousin. To Hinata, the only way to free both her sister and cousin was peace. And she believed that Naruto would help her achieve this goal if she helped him achieve his. And perhaps they could provide a comfort to each other, for Hinata had not met any like Naruto. And his passion was a very attractive trait.

The elders had asked for a few days to consider Naruto's request. It was their downfall. It gave Hinata a chance to watch the boy. She was impressed. Neji and Hanabi were not. They ridiculed until Naruto had enough. He challenged then both. And in the end, both Neji and Hanabi had been humbled. Hinata had turned into a fangirl.

The clan was still bent on saying no, but when Hinata challenged Neji and Hanabi (Hanabi held back and settled for a quick defeat while Neji went for complete humiliation), they reconsidered; though only for a moment. Hiashi was sent with no as the final answer. Hinata, on what everyone thought was her deathbed, asked her father to join one more time. He was then surrounded by Tsunade and Shizune, who promptly kicked him out and healed his daughter. The elders were at the same time being berated by Naruto for their insane practices, but his tirade ended when Hinata walked out healthy and Hiashi said they would join.

Hiashi then told his daughters and Neji to gather their things, and since the elders wanted to be in charge, they would be until he or Hinata returned. His last rule, for he was more than a figurehead, was that they would honor the alliance, even if he or Hinata did not return, and if they didn't, the new alliance could wipe the clan off the face of the earth, because, after all, the four strongest were gone.

While the female Sannin, her apprentice, and the clan heads settled down to discuss the growing alliance, the younger generation followed Gai-sensei and Lee. They reached a clearing and saw what appeared to be the aftermath of a fierce battle. They expected to find bodies, but they saw Jiraiya with a brown-haired man, a black-haired teen whose face was void of any emotion, and a man with silver hair, wearing a mask that covered the bottom half of his face and an eye patch. Oh, and hundreds of Narutos. Again, Shika, Kiba and Chouji were in awe, while Shino quirked an eyebrow and pushed up his sunglasses. Neji smirked and Hanabi smiled as Hinata approached. She looked over the new arrivals and realized that peace would truly come.

**Author's Note:**

So, do you like it? Let me know. Thank you very much for reading.


	3. Chapter 3: The Sannin

As the group trekked for one final meeting of all the clans, Tsunade looked over at her charge. He was far from the lonely, belligerent kid she first met. Though he was still belligerent, unruly, at times foul-mouthed, moronic, clumsy, disrespectful, did she mention belligerent and moronic already? Anyway, he was all those things but those weren't his greatest attributes. His compassion and fiery determination to succeed; his generosity and quiet maturity as well as his overwhelming need to protect his precious people are what drew people to him. He had made several promises and being a man of his word, he had kept them all but one, but that one promise was close to fruition.

When word had finally reached her that one of her closest friends had died and requested she take care of her child, Tsunade was a mess. Too much devastation, and illness and wounds and blood had made her weary and indifferent. When she heard of Kushina and Minato's death, the jinchurikki was three and heavily pursued by both avenging ninja and clans that wanted his power. But Tsunade was past caring.

Some say it was a battle built upon epic proportions and they were right. Orochimaru and Jiraiya would not let the poor woman alone. They would battle her until she came to her senses. And she would come to her senses or they would kill her. Well, Jiraiya would just humiliate but Orochimaru had planned to kill the "wayward heifer." His words, not mine.

Most battles lasted minutes, this one lasted a day. It's a good thing their enemies weren't around because all were exhausted: Sannin, apprentices, summons, etc. They could have been easily killed. After a couple of days to recover, Tsunade agreed to re-join the two and locate the jinchurikki, per their dying sensei's wishes. But boy was she sour! As the search took them across the lands, it finally sunk in how bad the situation was and that her lack of response to her dying friend could have very well meant the end of the child.

It took eight years of Naruto's life before Tsunade could begin to fulfill Kushina's last wish. When the Sannin finally found Naruto in an orphanage near the Land of Waves, he trusted a total of eight people, most of them children. When she saw the state he was in, her heart swelled with pity.

The orphanage was in shambles. A fierce battle had taken place. More than 20 children had been displaced; a few killed in the crossfire. Unfortunately, all but one of the caretakers had been killed. The Sannin had shown up at the very end. It was their first glimpse of Naruto's compassion and unending forgiveness.

The Sannin learned that it was Naruto's birthday. Two ninja in their teens had offered assistance to the orphanage in exchange for food and shelter. And on the tenth day of the tenth month, Touji Mizuki and Umino Iruka were to extract their revenge upon the child. But Iruka had a change of heart. However, Mizuki would not be stopped. He battled his friend, wounding him almost fatally, but was stopped by Naruto. The boy misstepped and before Mizuki could kill him, a dark-haired boy stepped in. He, too, was soon dealt with, but of course, someone or some people stopped him. Mizuki struck out but met with a kunai to the neck as his arms and legs were strapped by wood. Standing in front of him was a very angry 13-year-old boy. Uchiha Itachi was mad for three reasons: the first being both he and his brother, Sasuke, had lost their home. Two, his brother had been beaten unconscious while he had been dealing with Kakashi-sensei's antics. Kakashi would later pay for that. And the third reason was he had to use his Sharingan. Well, he didn't, but really Mizuki needed to learn not to mess with his precious people, and that was Sasuke and Naruto.

Mizuki took the chance and of course, revealed to Naruto why he should be dead, and the hurt look on his face was too much for all involved. Whatever genjutsu Itachi concocted turned Mizuki into a vegetable, and Kakashi was merciful in ending his life, but a kunai would have done the trick, not raikiri. Tenzo, of course, could have let the dead teen out of his trapping but he didn't and Jiraiya had to chop him out later. And as the three descended upon Iruka, also knocking on heaven's door, Naruto intervened. He explained the battle, and Sasuke, who had regained consciousness, agreed. The Sannin had arrived by then and witnessed Naruto forgiving Iruka and forbidding any of them from harming him, even the new ninja.

The Sannin were shocked for a number of reasons. Despite a small body, Naruto was a bundle of energy. If it wasn't for Kakashi, he would have been ready to battle again. And the fierceness of his protection of Iruka, despite the betrayal was another. His mouth was a third. Kakashi and Tenzo being there was a fourth. And the two Uchihas were fifth.

It wasn't until the children who survived were settled, and bodies were buried that most noticed Naruto's distress. Nothing Sasuke or Itachi or his other friends, Rock Lee and Tenten, did would calm the boy down.

"He acts like Kushina doesn't he?" Jiraiya remarked.

"Yes. If he is anything like her or the idiot, he'll be great," Orochimaru replied.

When Tsunade introduced herself, Naruto called her Granny. She clenched her fist but tapped him instead. Her love tap, of course, sent the child into a tree and knocked him unconscious. But she then fed him some ramen, once he woke up. A truce had been made between the two. Despite their tenuous start, Tsunade cheered Naruto on. The Sannin and their group began preparations to leave only to learn Naruto wasn't leaving.

"I will not leave my precious people behind to travel with you! I DON'T KNOW YOU! I PROMISED!'

"Idiot, we can protect you-"

"Who asked you?' Naruto said in a huff.

"Naruto, your mother asked me to look after you," Tsunade said quietly.

"If she was so great then she would understand."

"We'll give you lots of ramen if you come along," Orochimaru told the boy.

"What are you, some pedophile?!" Naruto shrieked.

"Impudent child. We don't have time for your insolence," Orochimaru remarked, summoning a snake to carry Naruto by force.

"You still haven't denied you are a pedophile. Stay away from Sasuke and Ten-chan. You hear me? I'm not going. Not without them. I won't. You can't make me. I will not abandon them. I won't."

The argument went on before Tenten grabbed Naruto and told him it would be okay. Tsunade saw the boy melt from what she thought was relief but he had only put on his resolve face. He faced Tenten.

"I will not leave you behind. You are all I got. We only have each other. If I'm gone, who will keep people like that pedophile away? I'm staying or you're going. That's final."

"Fine, idiot. Who are your precious people?" Jiraiya asked.

"Ten-chan, Lee, Sasuke, Itachi-nii, Tenzo-san, Kakashi and Iruka."

While having Iruka and the Uchiha boys left a distaste in her mouth, Tsunade agreed and the group finally left. Despite her original misgivings, the group became close, but there were secrets and battles.

Tsunade felt at ease for finally fulfilling Kushina's request, as she watched Naruto grow. The three were impressed with him. But their lives were far from easy. The Legendary Sannin were together again and therefore were a formidable threat. They sometimes took sanctuary in Rain and among Senju territory. But the Senju clan members were distrustful of the Uchiha brothers and the Sannin felt if they spent too much time in Hanzo's territory, the ensuing battle would end with their deaths. Only their late sensei and Hanzo could beat them at that point.

Despite all effort, Naruto would still face despair and continue to see destruction of people's lives firsthand, but with the help of Tsunade, it was tempered. But even the happiness of the new family was short-lived.

The group battled with a former ally, Shimura Danzou, who believed Naruto should be trained to be a weapon. Orochimaru agreed but since he could not convince Tsunade and Jiraiya, he left, but not before terrible truths came to light. Since Naruto had continued to grow in power, Sasuke had become jealous and impatient with his own growth. Oro tried to use him to get to Naruto. It almost worked but Itachi stepped in and the group learned that he was a genius and one of the strongest ninja alive. When Orochimaru finally left, he was without a hand.

Jiraiya left in pursuit. The family had grown with other ninja, but the core was crumbling. Naruto sat them all down and spoke about his plan for peace. Several people pledged allegiance then and there, Tsunade included.

Naruto continued to lose his precious people, but only because they were reunited with their family. In the two years since they left the orphanage, Itachi never revealed why they were in there and exactly who they were. No one asked. But after the Orochimaru incident, and Sasuke's growing impatience and even distrust of his own brother, Itachi felt it was time to return. Before they entered Wind, the motley crew met up with what many considered the second strongest (well, depending on who you asked) clan in all the land, the Uchiha. And standing before them was the number one hater of Senju, Uchiha Madara. How he was alive was a clan secret. And standing to his left was the clan leader and father of the two boys, Fugaku. Next to him were his second wife, Yomiko, and their daughter. Both men were happy to see the boys, Itachi, in particular for reasons unknown. The boys were happy to see their mother, Mikoto, who was allowed to come out of the crowd once Itachi asked of her whereabouts.

Despite separating, Sasuke begrudgingly acknowledged Naruto's strength and promised that they would be allies, unbeknownst to the other Uchihas, of course. Itachi also had pledged his allegiance and as heir would work on the clan.

Tearful goodbyes between the preteens and looks of distrust aimed at Tsunade and Hatake Kakashi, the Sharingan Thief, soon brought the run-in to an end. And Naruto's quest to find allies began anew.

**AN: How do you like it? Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: Temari

**Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. I am making nothing from this.  
><strong>

It was not Naruto's first time in Wind. He had spent time in an orphanage near the border where he had met the host of the one-tailed beast, Gaara of the Sand. The two were playmates and it could be thought that had he stayed longer they would have been best friends. Just as in his own land, Gaara was shunned by all but Naruto. Contrary to popular belief, Kyuubi's destruction was far and wide. It was stopped in the Land of Fire, but had covered several lands first. The rumor was it had been summoned but how and by who remained a mystery and therefore it remained a rumor. Ninjas in Wind learned that Naruto was there and sought to destroy him.

Gaara watched and thought he saw the murder of his friend and it sent him over the edge. Kakashi had actually used kawarmi no jutsu to switch Naruto with a log and they all hightailed it out of there. The ninja from Wind would have pursued had Gaara not gone ballistic and finally listened to the beast within and knocked himself unconscious to bring him out. His father thought so little of his own family, since he sealed the beast in his youngest, used his wife and mother of his three children as a sacrifice as well as separated his other two children from his youngest. That is until the day Shukaku was set free for some time. Then Gaara's father sent his two oldest in the hope that they could wake him up. Actually his hope was with his oldest, his daughter Temari. Despite not seeing her little brother in four years, she still missed Gaara and prayed to the gods for his safety. So her father thought she could reach Gaara despite their lengthy separation. He was right.

It cost many ninjas their lives but Gaara woke up to someone calling his name. He thought it was Naruto. And also not before Shukaku had used Temari and Kankurou as baseballs. When Gaara's father saw his youngest's potential as a weapon, Gaara was moved back home. Once his older siblings were healthy, the dysfunctional family was reunited. Though it wasn't until seven years later, Gaara never learned what happened to Naruto. Temari learned of his loss and tried to comfort him.

It took months, but Gaara's pain had lessened and he grew to care for his siblings. His father, however, used their love to manipulate them into doing his bidding. They were sent on suicide missions that would reap great benefits and rewards, but Gaara would fiercely protect them.

Surprise was plastered all over Gaara's face when he finally ran into a foe he could not beat. But Naruto's timely arrival and help along with Shizune and Tenten, helped Gaara defeat the ninja from Stone known as Deidara. And the two playmates reunited.

The Sabaku clan was not considered a very strong clan until Shukaku was sealed in Gaara. Sasori no Akasuna had found the clan somewhat useful and had given some prominence to Gaara's father on one condition: when she turned 16, Temari would marry Sasori. Temari was 16 and was about to marry Sasori. Unknown to Sasori, his wedding day would be his last. Temari was ordered to kill him in their wedding bed. But Temari cared for the man who was her fiancé. And though it caused her dismay, she would obey her father's wishes. If it became known that Sasori no Akasuna was taken down by the Sabaku clan, they would gain more notoriety.

Sasori's grandmother, Chiyo, had warned Gaara's father that the seal was unstable and the demon could drive the teen insane. So while the couple said their vows, Gaara learned of the plot. Naruto and company had been invited, and he sadly watched his former playmate encase his own father in sand and snuffed out his life. It took his siblings and Naruto a few days to get Gaara back in his right frame of mind. Once normalcy, or its close cousin, returned, Naruto spoke with Chiyo, Sasori, Gaara and Temari about his plan for peace. Chiyo thought it pure rubbish. Sasori couldn't care less. Gaara wanted it but thought it impossible; however, he humored his friend.

Naruto was worried but knew the ninjas in Wind would get with the program. Before they left for Mist, however, Temari asked them to return after their trek. Temari was tired and after the latest incident, she wanted peace for herself, but more importantly she wanted inner peace for her brother and only love, happiness, and peace across the land could do that. She became Wind's voice for peace. Temari slowly but surely used her highly intelligent mind and gift for gab to persuade a lot of folk. Chiyo's brother, Ebizu, helped and soon Chiyo was on board. Kankurou joined the little group and it spread after that. Though Naruto's first foray into finding allies in other countries fell flat, he was in for a surprise. When the group returned to Wind, Temari heralded the plan for peace and only Sasori and Gaara were the holdouts.

Temari held a trump card. As Naruto and company joined the family for dinner, Temari made one final plea. Sasori loved his wife. Many thought he was incapable of emotion but he was only heartless in front of enemies. It pained him somewhat that they could not agree on this, but he still listened to his wife a little. So the shock on his face was priceless when she asked him and Gaara to re-consider the plan, if not for themselves but for the next generation and grabbed both men's hands and placed them on her belly. Gaara, after feeling his niece or nephew's chakra, decided to give it a try. Sasori, extremely pleased, still cared less than most, but would do it for his son and besides a happy wife meant a happy Sasori. Except, you know, when he was taking out enemies; then he's ecstatic. With a hug and a handshake, Naruto's plan was gaining momentum.

**AN: **Thank you for reading so far. Sorry ShikaTema fans, I love them, too, but this works. Hope you enjoyed it. While I have hints, Sasori/Temari are the only pairing that you'll see "brought" together. Well, other than the parents and Ino/OC. Oh, and this is wonderfully AU. But you know that, right?! Laters!


	5. Chapter 5: Ino, Sakura & Mikoto

Naruto had grown much in stature. He was called the Peacemaker both in ridicule and in sincerity. Once Naruto and his friends in various countries had formed alliances, they set out to each daimyo with the offer to be the military. Will this bring immediate peace and stability? No, but nothing beats a failure but a try and they had to try.

Some countries had success right off the bat. It was probably a sound thrashing by the Neji-led battle soon after Naruto's visit that gave Cloud the incentive but the Land of Cloud was first. Other smaller countries soon followed. A fragile peace spread. Rain entered a civil war but with Jiraiya's help, the efforts of Hanzo, with secret help from Danzou were brought low. The corruption had reached all the way to the daimyo, but the people had spoken. They wanted peace. Konan, a student of Jiraiya, became daimyo, and the head of the shinobi military was her partner, Nagato, who had changed his name to Pein, in anguish over friend Yahiko's sacrificial death. And because of Pein's gifted kekkei genkai, Yahiko was the face of the military. Jiraiya thought it morbid, but to each his own.

The last holdouts were Mist and Fire. Both, ironically, were caused by two holdovers from generations past. And while history books will write that it was Haku's persuasiveness and Naruto's undeterred attitude, the truth will be found in urban legends about a fed-up wife, a concubine and a brilliant mother.

Because of its size, it took Naruto some time to gather all the allies needed in Fire. And though his list of precious people had grown, he was still susceptible to betrayal and hurt. With the defeat in Rain and the past defeat led by Naruto and company still heavy on his mind, Danzou turned to stopping Naruto at the top. The daimyo was an odd man, and was easily swayed by Danzou that a military force was not needed. He was also vain, and Danzou's smooth talk of him being the one holdout that could end the threat that would garner him more fame and glory simply went straight to his head. For days Naruto, Tsunade, Kakashi and Iruka would seek an audience and they would wait hours in vain.

Shikamaru came up with a plan. Their childhood friend, Ino, was married to the daimyo's middle son. They asked for her help. Wanting to experience the Ino-Shika-Chou combo one last time, Ino agreed. Ino did her best to persuade her husband. While it upset him that his beautiful wife was bringing the cares of the world into his bedroom, he appreciated the gratitude she showed when he said he would talk to his father. He didn't. Meanwhile Danzou's spy, a black-haired teen, whose codename was Sai and whose social ineptness hid his true intent, informed his captain that all was well. It was going according to Danzou's favor.

The group had chosen to leave, give the daimyo a break and then return. In front of the group, Naruto broke the news. But despite many crestfallen faces, his words sparked a quiet hope in his comrades, a concubine, and Ino. The group departed, but Ino told Chouji that they would get their audience upon their return.

In their bedchambers, Ino did the opposite. An unhappy Ino meant her husband had no peace.

"You denied peace to those your father rules, you will know no peace," she told him.

After one week, Ino kicked in Plan B. Her husband would only put up with her antics for so long before he turned to his concubine. So despite her disdain for the woman, she had a chat with Haruno Sakura.

Sakura's parents thought the best way to give their daughter a stable life was to place her among the servants of the daimyo. And for sometime it worked. But as she grew older, her beauty stood out. She caught the eye of the daimyo's middle son, but because of her status in society, the best she could get was concubine. But he loved her. For a time she was happy but when she hit that glass ceiling, Sakura became dissatisfied. But she kept up appearances. The daimyo demanded his middle son also marry, and arranged a marriage with the Yamanaka heir.

Ino had resigned herself to a loveless marriage but she found herself in love with the man and also gained an eternal rival with his first love, Sakura. Oh, she knew the man would probably have feelings for his concubine, but she was determined that his heart would belong to her. And for a few months, Ino won. But there were times she could see her husband staring intently at their door. And finally she had enough of his sneaking.

"If you leave this bed, don't come back until you remove her stench," she spat, with as much venom as possible. She loved him, but she could only change herself. This is why she jumped at the chance to help her childhood friends.

So she told Sakura Naruto's plan and told her she would help Ino's friends. If Sakura helped, Ino would help her get her freedom. Unlike Ino, Sakura loved freedom more than the daimyo's middle son.

When Sakura woke up to the knock on her door, she put Ino's plan to work. When Naruto came back, he and all the heirs that had travelled with him held an audience with the daimyo. Danzou had protested, but nothing would stop the daimyo's son from getting Naruto that audience, because then and only then would he get peace.

The daimyo wanted a day to mull over what he learned. He recognized that bringing peace to his people would make him great in their eyes, but as Danzou pointed out, Fire wouldn't be strong because the Senju's greatest rivals had not affiliated with anyone and on their own, the Uchiha clan was still a major threat.

The next day, with a heavy heart, the daimyo turned down Naruto. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Hinata were stunned. Shino dropped his head. Naruto gave one last impassioned plea before he ended with a very whiny, "Why?"

Shocked by his wail, Hinata went to hold the young man. As she told him not to give up, a servant burst in. The Uchiha clan was demanding an audience. To Danzou's dismay, the daimyo allowed entrance.

In strode Uchiha Sasuke, with a small contingent that included his mother. Most in the room had only heard of the Uchiha. And with the absence of their elders, only one knew Sasuke.

When the daimyo's son heard his father's refusal to allow the alliance become the military, his only thought was he would get no rest. And when he saw the beauty that was Sasuke, he knew his women's shrieks would be louder. If what Danzou had said was true, he would have more headaches in his future.

The Uchiha present bowed before the daimyo. When asked why they were there, Sasuke replied, "My mother wants peace for me and my brother."

"So, you are here to join this new alliance?"

"No."

"SASUKE!"

My brother and I have always been a part of the alliance. But now the Uchiha are as well," Sasuke told the daimyo.

At that, Sasuke snorted at Naruto, but the two embraced as brothers. The daimyo was not impressed.

"I take it you are the clan head?'

"No, that is my brother."

"He did not deem this worthy of his attention."

"Correct."

"Sasuke!"

"Hn."

"Perhaps, I should explain," Mikoto began.

"Itachi is in Mist. Despite all of Naruto's efforts, Haku and Kimmimaro met with a lot of resistance. But the daimyo demanded that the ninja join his military or be forced out by those who did. The first order for the new military was the death of those who did not comply. And since you had not formed your own, then our clan was hired to help with the extermination. Once you inform us that this alliance will become your military, we will end our mission in Mist,' Mikoto said.

The daimyo took a moment to absorb all that the Uchiha matriarch had said. But she wasn't through.

"Daimyo, with all due respect, I've seen much destruction, devastation, famine and mayhem among commoners and ninjas alike. In case you are unaware, people are tired. They want peace and stability. This nomadic lifestyle does not provide longevity and most ninja do not get to go quietly into the night. Most meet a bloody and disappointing end. I wanted a different life for my children. And I have done things that I am not proud of and some that I am. You hesitate, but what you will find at the end of this day is many despondent clans across your land who were denied their chance at peace. If you continue to listen to the wrong people, you will find yourself assassinated. It could still happen during peaceful times, but the gods would show mercy. But most of all, if you choose to be the lone daimyo denying his tools peace, you will find yourself without the Uchiha clan to do your bidding. I am tired and I've done many things to help my children achieve peace. When I saw that Itachi's genius and pacifist heart could get him killed by his own clan, I placed him and Sasuke in an orphanage. I faced the wrath of both Uchiha Madara and my husband. I lived years of shame as my husband divorced me and married another, because I could no longer produce heirs.

"When Orochimaru tried to seduce my youngest with power through his sick and demented ways, he met a most painful death. When Uchiha Madara finally realized that the clan head came through me, he eliminated my former husband. But Uchiha Madara did not want peace, and did everything he could to stop it. He pitted best friends against one another by sending Uchiha Shisui to kill the next clan leader. He only made Itachi stronger. He tried to back Itachi into a corner, but Itachi would not, will not bend, thanks to my other son, Uzumaki Naruto. The Uchiha decided enough was enough and when Madara began his spiel again, he left a bloody mess, barely alive, but the man had not, would not cross over. He came to rest in my tent. I would understand. I had been scorned, shamed. I would allow him to rest. I did not understand. I buried the kunai in his temple and used a shuriken on his jugular for good measure. My clan wants peace, the Senju and countless other clans in your lands want peace and you will give it to them," Mikoto said as she turned and walked out.

The history books reflected on the efforts of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru and all the other men on that day, but it was also the women who stood behind and beside the men who made it a reality.

Fin.

**AN:**


End file.
